Are liberal arts colleges good for premed?

[nysegop]

What are your thoughts on liberal arts colleges? I've heard several negative things but it could have just been trolls. People say that they just sell degrees and their degrees are worthless. Thoughts?

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[futureisnear]

It matters what degree your actually going for.

I've found out from past experiences that the colleges can be harder. I've had some science classes where the averages were a 40-50 and yet the professor did NOT curve. The same goes for state schools, but for me the science courses have been more challenging and you get to know your professors better (if your going to a small college). Which then translates too, you better yet get a good recommendation because its on a personal level. I never had to go to office hours either to get help. After class, I'd just walk up to the professor to explain the problem. I had a professor once, think it was in Zoology? He told a few of us to come see him after the test because our tests were in the lowest, think in the 60's and he wanted to see how we were studying and how to fix the situation so we wouldn't damage our GPA.

 

[WildEMDoc]

If I could go back and do it all again I might've gone to a liberal arts school. I don't think they are bad options but if going will leave you with any debt as opposed to no/less debt at a state school; then you really should go to a state school.

The key to college is to:

1. Graduate with a little debt as possible

2. Go where you are happy.

There is a balance between these two that must be found if necessary.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN Mobile app, forgive my typos!

 

[Volvoxy]

Keep in mind that while most cost more than state schools, they also usually have more scholarships. I go to a $30,000+ school but go pretty much free due to academic scholarships.

I think going to a small school is what helped me become a top tier applicant. It was a liberal arts college but that doesn't mean anything special. The small class size was what was special.

I know every science teacher personally and get taught by them instead of TAs. One on one research is something I took advantage of and now I have a lot of publications under my belt. I've presented research in places from Boston, to Denver, to Salt Lake City-always as first author. (Conferences such as AACR, ASCB etc.)

I would not have had the same opportunities at a large school.

 

[DAPI]

Having gone to a small liberal arts school, I agree with the posters above. The one thing I would say if you do this is to make sure the school is in a large-ish city. I went to a school in a town of ~30,000 and feel the oportunities to volunteer in a hospital, do quality research, etc were limited.

If I could go back and do it over again, I would choose a small liberal arts school in a city with a medical school near by. The reason I say this is so I could get to know my professors one on one like others have said, but would want to be in a city with a medical school to get involved in research there and to be able to volunteer. I mean, I did research at my school, but it was very limited compared to what I now know I could have done at a medical school on a volunteer basis.